


Love's Gentle Touch

by skargasm



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 17:57:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skargasm/pseuds/skargasm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A little snippet of life after the Sunnydale Hellmouth closes with Spike and Xander.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love's Gentle Touch

”It wasn't that bad”. Giving a mini cheer as his throw caused his popcorn bag to fall neatly into the bin, Xander turned back towards Spike. 

“Oh no? Okay, tell me one good thing about it then, Pet.” Xander couldn't help but smile as he watched Spike struggling into his duster. Sometimes he had to pinch himself to confirm that this was real. “Well?” 

“Huh?” 

“Name one good thing about it.” 

“Well, I didn't guess who she was.” The look he got from Spike made him think that possibly he was one of the few members of the audience who would make that claim.

“Right. Okay, apart from her. Oh, I'm talking about all the history stuff, not the outright fiction.” They began to walk out of the theatre, bumping shoulders companionably as they did so. That was another thing that made Xander smile – just how tactile Spike was. They didn't hold hands in public – out and proud was one thing but Cleveland was hardly sophisticated and PDAs by a gay couple tended to draw attention. It was hard enough keeping their little slayer army on the down-low without drawing attention to themselves that way. No, no make out sessions in public but Spike always stayed close, covering Xander's blind side, steering Xander with a gentle hand at the base of his spine. That kind caring touching that he'd never experienced before. 

“Ummm, yeah I kinda got the history bit and way more interesting than school. I liked all the riddles and clues. And you're not telling me you weren't impressed by that whole bit with the Last Supper painting with Mary Magdalene and the cups thing was cool.” 

“Fine, I'll give you that. Think that Robert bloke might have been making mountains outta molehills but it was interesting.”

“See, I _knew_ you liked it!”

“I never said that.” Spike tugged gently on his sleeve and he automatically paused and adjusted in time to avoid a jarring misstep over a jutting bit of pavement. It was things like that – the little things – that had convinced Willow that Spike wasn't using Xander. Little things like that that most people didn't even register convinced her that Xander was in safe hands.

“So, what was so bad about it?”

“Too many things to mention, luv. Half of it didn't make sense and the way he yanked history around to suit his version of events was a bit barmy.”

“What bits?”

“The Knights Templar? They were more than he painted them. I'm not saying they wouldn't have been defenders of a secret like that but they encompassed a whole lot more.”

A quick check around showed that they had outpaced the rest of the theatre-going audience and that there were few people around. A late night showing of the Da Vinci Code didn't really bring out the crowds anyway so it seemed relatively safe to drag him into the darkness of a shop doorway. 

“Love it when you get all Professor Spike on me.” 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Yeah. Of course, it probably helps that you were old enough to witness most of this firsthand – OW!!” The sound of hand meeting denim was loud and he rubbed at his ass.

“Cheeky bugger!”

“What? What did I say? I'm merely showing you the respect that your age demands!” Turning swiftly, he ducked out from the doorway, backing away in the direction of home as Spike began to follow him menacingly.

“I'm gonna give you such a spanking when we get home!”

“Better hurry then old man, you're not getting any younger!”

* * *

fin

* * *


End file.
